Mechanism for handling and distributing fibers



J. MOSS May 27, 1930.

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND DISTRIBUTING FIBERS Filed March 12. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 27, 1930. J. MOSS 1,760,848

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND DISTRIBUTING FIBERS Filed March 12. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 27, 1930. J. MOSS 1,760,848

MECHANISM FOR HANDLING AND DISTRIBUTING FIBERS Fild March,l 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lvzverv 0 7.

' [Wm gjaM QMQQ May 27, 1930. J. MOSS MECHANISM'FOR HANDLING AND DISTRIBUTING FIBERS Filed March 12. 1929 f 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 havenfw":

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Patented May 27, 1930 Weddell JOSEPH MOSS, orwoous'ocnnr, anon ISLAND, Assrdnonro WooNsocKE'i MACHINE 8; PRESS 00., Inc, or woonso'oxnr, micron rsnaiv'n, A conrone'rrou or nrionn MECHANISM non rmivntme AND DISTRIBUTING FIBERS ISLAND Application filed lllarch 12, 1929. Serial N'o. 346,479. ..This invention is applicable to feed distributor systems on the order of those em- 'ployedin cotton manufacture for the purpose of keeping the hoppers of the teed-mechanisms of cotton working machines supplied with material to be operated upon.

One form of these systems comprises a trough, or the like, extending the length of a series t hoppers, and having outlets through which the fibrous material may dis charge into the respective hoppers ot' the series, and an endless conveyor in connection with such trough provided with rakes, floats, orthe like, which by the movement or" the endless conveyor are caused. to travel along the trough, carrying with them fibrous material supplied at 'one point in the length of the trough, so that the fibrousmaterial is discharged into the respective hoppers. Frequently, the source of supply for the fibrous material is a condenser, in connection with a pneumatic conveyor system by means of which the fibrous material is transported from a remote source otsupply to the point at which it is supplied to the trough.

The invention comprises improvements in connection with deliverychutes whim are employed in connection with conveyors, hoppers, and outlets such as aforesaid; improved means for supporting and guiding an endless conveyor and the so-called rakes or theequiv alentthereof carried thereby; and improvements in the construction 01 the rakes.

The said improved means and improvements are illustratively embodied in the feed distributor system shown in the accompanying drawings, in which, A

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a distributing system embodying the features of the invent'ion.

2 is an elevation of the drive end of the machine, viewed from the righthand side in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section on line 3, 3, of F ig. 1, on a larger scale than the preceding views.

Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, an end elevation of a rake-head, and a plan view of one end-portion thereof, both on a still larger scale. v

the opposite ends Fig. 6 is a side elevation of an end-portion of a rake-head character, '7 is a plan view thereof elevation thereof.

Fig. 91s a view in vertical cross-section on line 9, 9, of Fig. 3, of arake-head and one, of theattached chain-links. I V

Fig. 10 is sectional View illustrating one of the sprocket-wheels and its mounting.

Fig. 11 is a view in side elevation showing, more particularly, the construction of a telehaving' a-tooth of modified and Fig. 8 is an end scopic chute.

Fig. 12 is a vow in section transversely. of the trough, on line 12, 12, of F 11, looking from the right hand side in Fig. 11.

Having reference to the drawings:

he trough of the illustrated feed distributor system com-prisesa bottom :1 and vertical sides 2, 2, extending the length of the. series of hoppers to which delivery is to be efiected, which may be hopper feeders, for example, the said machines being 'arranged in row, and the trough being supported on the tops of the sides 41, ll, of the hoppers. 4t, 4. Legs 3, 3, areprovided in addition at of the trough. Thetrough bottom 1 at one end of the trough is turned up on a slant to form in conjunction with the terminal portions of sides 2, 2, a sort of hopper for receiving the fibrous material that is to be distributed.

The fibrous material is caused to move lengthwise or" the trough by the endless conveyor comprising a plurality of endless sprocket-chains 6, arranged in parallelism and equipped with rakes 7, 7, the said chains being extended around sprocketwheels 8, 81, fixed on transverse shafts 9, 91, located at the opposite ends of the system. For the actuation ot the chains to cause the rakes to travel from end to end of the system, the shaft 9 is driven through suitable actuating devices, which may vary in practice as may be desired. In the present instance I haveshown shatt 9 connected bymeans 0t bevel gears 10, 11, with a shaft 12 which is driven by means of a belt not shown) a Jplied to a pulley 13 upon the shaft 12. r

Suitable outlets are formed inthe troughsecured in a different manner ;"Fig.

extending downward into the hoppers below the tops of the walls of the hoppers. Preferably, I employ vertically-adjustable telescoping chutes respectively comprising a fixed section 14, Figs. 1, 11 and 12, depending from the bottom 1, and a vertically movable section15 that is fitted upon the exterior of section 14 and is slidable thereon up and down to vary the height of the bottom discharging end of the chute as it stands within the adjoining hopper 4. Suitable retaining means are provided to maintain the vertical adjustment that is given to the movable section 15 of a chute, such means herein comprising screw-threaded studs 16, 16, shown best in Fig. 11. that are fixed in the stationary section 14 of the chute and extend outwardly therefrom through vertical slots 17, Fig. 12,

in the movable section 15, and thumb-nuts 18,

18, upon the projecting portions of the studs. The said nuts serve to fasten the movable section at the desired height through being screwed manually against the exterior surface of such section, so as to clamp the latter tightly against the exterior of the fixed section 14.

A chute is provided in connection with each outlet in the bottom 1. The fibrous material received within the supply-receiving end of the trough is dragged by means of the moving rakes to the opening at the top end of the first chute, the fibrous material discharging through such opening and through the chute into the hopper 4 below the same, until the level of such material within such hopper reaches the bottom of the said chute. Thereafter, for the time being no more fibrous material enters the hopper, but fibrous material continues to enter the chute until the latter is itself filled to the level of the bottom 1,

after which the succeeding portions of fibrous material are carried along across the top of the filled chute to the next outlet, to pass in similar manner down through the second chute into the second hopper. After the filling of this hopper up to thelevel of thebottom of the telescoping chute, and the subsequent filling of such chute, the fibrous material thereafter is carried on by the rakes across the top of this second filled chute to the third chute, and so on throughout the series, any material that remains being discharged by the rakes from the end of the trough at the drive-end of the machine, and thereby deposited in a suitable receptacle placed under such end of the trough, or deposited upon the floor.

As the operation of a feeder lowers the level of the fiber in a hopper, the material occupying the associated chute settles down,

whereupon additional flow of fiber into such chute takes place automatically. A conveyor-equipment having chutes which are of smaller cross-sectional dimensions than hoppers into which they extend is adapted to be applied without reconstruction in connec- -tion with different hopper-assemblages,

whatever the sizes of the hoppers. Again, it is not necessary that the spacing of the chutes inthe series should correspond exactly with the setting of the various hoppers with respect to one another. Furthermore, an important advantage of chutes having such relative cross-sectional dimensions, and in addition extending down within the hoppers below the tops of the walls of the hoppers, is that after a hopper has become filled to the level of the delivery-mouth of the corresponding chute, so that further fiber ceases to pass down into the hopper, the fiber is permitted to spread transversely with relation to the mouth of the chute, as well as expand upward around the lower end of the chute. This freedom to spread transversely and expand vertically, involving more or less opening-out and exposure to the air, enables the accumulated fiber to assume by a natural action an improved condition for being worked in the machines to which it passes from the hoppers. The telescoping chutes herein described provlde novel means for automatically controlling the height of the accumulation of fibrous material in the respective hoppersof the feeders, obviating with extreme simplicity the need for more complicatedmechanical supply-governing devices. Through regulation of the said height, the rate at which the fiber is fed out from the hoppers by means of the usual spiked lifteraprons, or equivalents, is controlled. The higher the accumulation of fiber within a hopper the greater is the amount of fiber that is carried out of the hopper by the lifterapron, and vice versa. The ability to adjust the hopper-mouths vertically within the hoppers enables the proper rate of feed to be attained. It enables proper compensation for difierent kinds or grades of cotton. Different kinds or grades have difierent densities when they arrive'at the hoppers. Some will be compact and occupy smaller space than others. Y Consequently, the level of hoppercontents proper for one grade'or kind might not answer for another.

Another feature of the invention comprises improved means for mounting and supporting the sprockets 19, 19, which carry the up- 26, 26, and also by tie-rods 27, 2?, one of which is shown clearly in Fig. 3. Such tie-rods extend through sleeves28 spacing the side-walls 2, 2, apart, and also tln'ough'said side-walls and the brackets 25, 25, and receive nuts 271,

. 271, upon their extremities outside the brackets. The said shafts 24 are fixed in hubs 251, 251, at the upper ends of said brackets by I clamping screws 29,29, and the sprockets rotate freely upon the shafts, being held in properly spaced relations, according to the distance'of chains 6, 6, apart from each other, by means of collars 30, 30, fixed by means of screws 301, 301, upon the shaft at the outer ends of the hubs of each sprocket.

This feature of the invention provides smooth-running supporting means for accurately guiding the upper or return run of the endless conveyor, with simple and inexpensive means for reducing friction and insuring the maintenance of adequate lubrication.

.The use of wood bushings obviates any overflowing of oilrto get upon the fibrous mate- .rial operated upon. Further, the method of combining the shafts 24, 24, with the sustaining brackets 25, 25, so that such shafts are in effect, tie-rods for the upper portions of the brackets, aids materially 1n strengthening the whole distributor organization and rendering-it more rigid and freer from undesirable vibration.

Another feature of the invention has to do with the novel construction of the rakes which are mounted on the endless chains to engage the fiber received at one end of the V trough and propel it lengthwise along the ill.

trough. These rakes respectively comprise heads of a length closely approximating the interior width of the trough between the opposite sides 2, 2, thereof, such heads being ailixed to the plurality of endless chains at suitably spaced intervals to move with the said chains while maintaining transverselyextending relations at right angles to the chains. Each head is provided with a row of teeth or other fiber-engaging devices which extend down to or near the bottom of the trough, when on the lower or working run of the chains, in order that such row may operate t-o impel the fiber accordance with the invention, a rake comprises a head consisting of a bar 31 of U-shape in vertical cross-section, composed of-rectangular channel iron, the side-flanges of which extend downward from the portion intermediate such flanges, the said intermediate portion constituting the back of the head, and the head having at each end a shoe 32. Preferably, though not necessarily to flanges 39, Fi

along the trough. In

in all cases, such shoe is formed of hard wood that has been boiled in oil. The shoe occupies the channel of the head with its lower portion extending below the edges of the channel iron, and is secured by a bolt 33 putthrough the shoe and the flanges of the head. This shoe rests upon and is adapted to slide along a runway 34 formed of angle iron fixed on.

the interior of a side 2 of the trough. -The pair of runways 34, 34, enable the rakes on tion, to fit closely between the depending flanges of thechannel iron of the head, and

secured by a bolt 351 which passes transversely through said flanges and the interpolated base of the tooth. In Figs. 3, 4, and 5, however, the teeth 352, 352, are made of sneet metal, hollow, circular in cross-section, and tapering gradually from base to point. Tnese teeth each pressed into a tapering tal collar 36, within'which the'lar'ger base rid of the tooth wedges tightly. The base- 'n of the teeth 352,352, and the collars 36, 6, pen the same, occupy the interior of the hannel iron constituting a rake-head, and are fastened to the intermediate portion constituting the back of the rake-head by means of rivets 3'4", 37, Fig. 5, put through said porvtion and through ears or lugs 38, 38, on the said collar. This metal tooth, provided with a tapering collar or socket, occupying the hollow of a channeled rake-head, with. its butt or big end against the under side of the head, constitutes a very advantageous construction. There is no chance of'such a tooth "loosening or splitting and dropping out, to be carried into a preparing machine and do costly damage thereto.

The rake-heads are combined with the chains, which are. preferably of the type known as link-belt, by fastening said heads g. 9, which are integrally formed on certain special links 390 which are inserted abreast of each other in thechains at appropriate intervals. Bolts '40 are put through the flanges 39 and through both therewith of chutes less in cross-sectional dimensions than the hoppers receiving the fiber as it is propelled along the trough, depending into the said hoppers, below the tops of the walls of the latter, and controlling the height of accumulation within the hoppers.

2. In a mechanism for handling and distributing fiber to a series of hoppers, comprising a trough, and means for propelling fiber along said trough, the said trough having outlets at the respective hoppers, the combination therewith of tubular chutes in connection with said outlets, less in cross-section- 7 *al dimensions than the hoppers, depending into the said hoppers, below the tops of the walls of the latter, and controlling the height ytributing fiber to a series of hoppers, comof accumulation with the hoppers.

3. In a mechanism for handling and disprising a trough, and means for propelling fiber along said trough, the combination therewith of adjustably telescoping tubular chutes less in cross-sectional dimensions than the hoppers, extending down within the hoppers below the tops of the walls of the latter, receiving the fiber from the trough and delivering it to the said hoppers, and adapted to keep them filled to the point where the fiber accumulated in the hoppers chokes the delivery through the chutes, the vertical adjustment serving to. enable the height of delivered fiber accumulated in the respective hoppers to be varied to suit the qualities of .the said fiber.

4. In a mechanism for handling and distributing fiber to a series of hoppers, comprising a trough, and means for propelling fiber along said trough, the combination therewith of automatic hopper-filling devices comprising tubular chutes less in cross-sectional di-' mensions than the hoppers, extending down within the hopper below the tops of the walls of the latter, receiving the fiber as it is propelled along the trough and respectively delivering fiber to the respective hoppers until further delivery'to a given hopper is choked by the rising pile of delivered fiber below the chute, with the delivery ends of said chutes adapted for adjustment to vary the height of delivered fiber accumulated in said hoppers so as to enable such height to be proportioned in accord with the density of the fiber and the requirements in respect of expansion.

5. In a mechanism for handling fiber and distributing it to a series of hoppers, and com prising a trough having outletsin combination with said hoppers, and endless chains equipped with fiber-impelling devices traveling in said trough, the combination therewith of brackets rising from the sides of the trough, fixed non-rotating shafts constituting spacing tie-rods extending transversely with relation to said trough and chains and connecting said brackets in pairs at their upper ends, and wheels rotatably mounted upon the said shafts and supporting the upper runs of said endless chains.

6. In a mechanismforhandling fiber and distributing it to a series of hoppers, and comprising a trough having outlets in connection with'said hoppers, and endless chains equipped with fiber-impelling devices traveling in said trough, the combination therewith of brackets secured to the sides' of the trough, non-rotating shafts each having its ends secured in the upper ends of apair of said brackets, and wheels rotatably mounted upon said shafts and supporting the upper runs of said chains.

7 In a mechanism for handling fiber and distributing it to a series of hoppers, and comprising a trough having outlets in connection with said hoppers, and endless chains travehng 111 said trough, the combinationtherewith of fiber-impelling devices comprising rakes having heads of U'-shape in crosssection secured to said chains, fiber-engaging teeth secured to the heads within such U, and shoes occupying the ends of the respective heads and engaging with runways in connection with the sides of the trough.

8. In a mechanism for handling fiber and distributing it to a series of hoppers, and

comprising a trough having outlets in connection with said hoppers, and endless chains traveling in said trough, the combination therewith of fiber-impelling devices comprising rakes having heads of U-shape in crosssection secured to said chains, and fiber-engaging teeth secured to the heads within such U. y

9. In a mechanism for handling fiber and distributing it to a series of hoppers, and comprising a trough having outlets in connection with said hoppers, and endless chains traveling in said trough, the combination therewith of fiber-rmpelhng devices comprising rakes having heads attached to said chains to travel therewith, collars affixedto said heads, and teeth tightly seated in said collars/ 10. In a mechanism for handling fiber and distributing itto a series of hoppers, and

traveling in said tr0ugh,'the combination therewith of fiber-impelling devices comprising heads secured tothe said chains, ta-

pering sockets in connection with said heads, closed at their larger ends by the material of the heads, and tapering teeth seated in said sockets.

12. In a mechanism for handling fiber and distributing it to a series of hoppers, and

comprising a trough having outlets in connection with said hoppers, and endless chains traveling in said trough, the combination therewith of fiber-impelling devices comprising heads secured to the said chains, taporing sockets in connection with said heads, closed at their larger ends by the material of the heads, tapering teeth seated in said sockets, and a shoe at each end of the respective heads cooperating with runways in connection with the side-walls of the trough to guide the heads in their travel through the trough.

13. In a mechanism for handling fiber and distributing it to a series of hoppers, and comprising a trough having outlets in connection with said hoppers, and endless chains traveling in said trough, the combination therewith of fiber-impelling devices comprising heads of channel iron secured to the said chains, tapering collars secured'within the channels of said heads to the intermediate sections thereof, and tapering sheet-metal teeth wedged in said collars.

14. In a mechanism for handling fiber and distributing it to a series of hoppers, and C0111- prising a trough having outlets in connection with said hoppers, and endless chains traveling in said trough, the combination therewith of fiber-impelling rakes affixed by their heads to flanges on links of the chain, said flanges formed to stand at right angles to the plane of travel of the chains, so that the rake-teeth stand out perpendicularly to the said plane of travel.

JOSEPH MOSS. 

